13:10 Leopardstown

Wednesday 28 December 2022

All12:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier)

Off time: 13:10 | Winning time: 6m 18.01s

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Selected odds by:

Cape Gentleman^p1⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B Hayes| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 141| BF

66/1

11/10, respectable third of 7 in minor event hurdle at Thurles (23f, good to soft) 69 days ago. First run for yard after leaving Emmet Mullins. Not dismissed.

Form: 2F-92F3

Vina Ardanza⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: B W Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 140

11/1

Good second of 18 in handicap hurdle (5/1) at Naas (20f, soft) 46 days ago, closing all way to line. Yard having good spell. Needs considering.

Form: 34-FF92

Good Time Jonny^t³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Liam McKenna⁽⁷⁾| T: A J Martin| OR: 138| CD

28/1

C&D winner. Twelfth of 15 in novice chase at Navan (17f, heavy, 40/1) 31 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Significantly back up in trip and no forlorn hope.

Form: 119P-40

Ilikedwayurthinkin¹⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: K M Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 138

50/1

Below form ninth of 20 in handicap hurdle (14/1) at Galway (22.8f, heavy) 151 days ago. Looks competitive on form if shrugging off latest effort.

Form: 062-2P9

Eric Bloodaxe^p⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 137| C

7/1

First run since leaving Joseph Patrick O'Brien when winning (in cheekpieces on for 1st time) 4-runner minor event hurdle (4/6) at Fairyhouse (20f, heavy) 50 days ago. Respected.

Form: 21702-1

Maze Runner⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: P Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 135| CD

8/1

C&D winner. Creditable seventh of 20 in handicap (20/1) at Naas (16.1f, heavy) 52 days ago. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Stable in good form. Enters calculations.

Form: 1/00653-

Falcon Eight^v²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: D K Weld| OR: 132

9/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. Good second over 2m at Punchestown last month. Significantly up in trip. Makes handicap hurdle debut and not ruled out.

Form: 513-52

Jaycean³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: J C Gainford| T: G Elliott| OR: 130

16/1

Lightly-raced winner over hurdles. 33/1, good seventh of 15 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.9f, good to soft) 38 days ago. Yard in good form. Shortlisted.

Form: 1P-47

A Great View^p⁴⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: S D Torrens| T: D Cullen| OR: 129| D

40/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. Below form ninth of 18 in handicap hurdle (18/1) at Naas (20f, soft) 46 days ago, needing stiffer test. Others more persuasive.

Form: 2481-59

Music Drive^p,t⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| OR: 129| D

14/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, creditable 9 lengths second of 7 to Hermes Allen in Hyde Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham (21f, good, 17/2) 47 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Needs to step forward.

Form: 185-132

Tronador¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: C P Millar⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 129

80/1

15/2, good second of 14 in handicap at Dundalk (16f) 12 days ago, no match for winner. Switches from Flat to hurdles. Stable in good form but others look better treated.

Form: 10/P08-0

Perceval Legallois⁹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: C D Maxwell| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 126| D

8/1

Latest win in hurdle at Wexford in July. Creditable second of 12 in handicap hurdle at Listowel (24f, good, 7/2) 98 days ago, just failing. Likely to improve. Well in the mix.

Form: 3-3U122

Popong¹³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: J J Slevin| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 126| BF

50/1

Good second of 4 in minor event chase (6/4) at Tramore (21.6f, good) 138 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Makes handicap hurdle debut. Thirteen runs since last win in 2020.

Form: 72P-222

Rodaniche³³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Niall Moore⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 126

50/1

Promising individual. 11/1, career best when winning 10-runner minor event hurdle at Down Royal (16.7f, good to soft), driven out. Off 11 months. Makes handicap bow so very much one to consider.

Form: F/22171-

Hemlock²⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: D J O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| OR: 125

40/1

16/1, very good third of 16 in handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse (24.5f, good to soft). Off 8 months. Needs considering.

Form: 1D2253-

Coventry^b1³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Aidan Coleman| T: G Elliott| OR: 123| BF

18/1

Creditable eighth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.9f, good to soft, 3/1) 38 days ago, needing stronger gallop. Stable in good form. Blinkers on 1st time. One to keep on right side.

Form: 270-238

Plan Of Attack^b⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: M P O'Connor⁽⁵⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 123| D

80/1

Sixth of 12 in handicap hurdle at Clonmel (16.3f, heavy, 22/1) 41 days ago. Significantly back up in trip. Blinkers back on. More needed.

Form: 04337-6

Minella Times^t²⁵⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-7| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 122

20/1

25 lengths third of 5 to Melon in Imperial Call Chase at Cork (24f, heavy, 5/2), needing stiffer test. Off 8 months. Switches from chase to hurdles and no forlorn hope.

Form: 21/FPB3-

Lord Erskine³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: P T Enright| T: H Rogers| OR: 121

33/1

Good second of 23 in handicap hurdle at Navan (22f, heavy, 6/1) 31 days ago. Claims.

Form: 9/030-52

Slige Dala^t⁸⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: C McGivern⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 121

125/1

5/2, first run since leaving Joseph Patrick O'Brien when last of 5 in minor event chase at Gowran (25f, good to soft) 88 days ago. Needs to bounce back over hurdles.

Form: 360-935

Dromore Lad⁵²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-5| J: P J O'Hanlon⁽⁵⁾| T: James Andrew Fahey| OR: 120| D

100/1

Seventeen runs since last win in 2020. 6/1, below form sixth of 17 in handicap chase at Cork (28f, heavy) 52 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: P9-4236

Maxxum⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 120

11/4

Promising type. 4/5, career best when winning 22-runner handicap hurdle at Navan (22f, soft) 45 days ago hard held. Trainer going well. Big player.

Form: 16-5421

Noble Birth⁸⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: C G O'Dwyer⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 120

80/1

Latest win in hurdle at Ballinrobe in August. Ninth of 10 in handicap hurdle at Gowran (24f, soft, 6/1) 88 days ago. Stable in good form. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 213159

Sainte Dona³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-3| J: B J Cooper| T: T Cooper| OR: 118

18/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. 2/1, career best when winning 15-runner novice hurdle at Thurles (23.1f, soft) 34 days ago. Makes handicap hurdle debut but others look better treated. Engaged 1.29 Limerick Tuesday.

Form: 842-421

Jiving Jerry³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Sarah Kavanagh⁽⁷⁾| T: J Barcoe| OR: 117

33/1

Creditable fourth of 23 in handicap hurdle at Navan (22f, heavy, 15/2) 31 days ago. Not taken lightly.

Form: 312-884

Takarengo^p³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: D E Mullins| T: T Mullins| OR: 116| C

14/1

Visor on for 1st time in this code, good fourth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Punchestown (23.9f, good to soft, 40/1) 38 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Merits consideration.

Form: 310/7-34

Hardy Bloke^p,t1¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Conor Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: E Mullins| OR: 109| BF

33/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, good fourth of 15 in handicap hurdle (6/4) at Cork (20f, soft) 17 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time. Needs a second look. RESERVE.

Form: 0640-54

Non-Runners

Whatsavailable²⁵

Weight: 10-10| Age: 5

T: M F Morris J: K C Sexton

Futurum Regem⁴⁵

Weight: 10-5| Age: 6

T: H P Finegan J: D P Maxwell

Forecasts

Maxxum (11/4), Eric Bloodaxe (7/1), Perceval Legallois (8/1), Maze Runner (8/1), Falcon Eight (9/1), Vina Ardanza (11/1), Takarengo (14/1), Music Drive (14/1), Jaycean (16/1), Whatsavailable (16/1), Sainte Dona (18/1), Coventry (18/1), Minella Times (20/1), Good Time Jonny (28/1), Lord Erskine (33/1), Jiving Jerry (33/1), Hardy Bloke (33/1), A Great View (40/1), Hemlock (40/1), Popong (50/1), Rodaniche (50/1), Futurum Regem (50/1), Ilikedwayurthinkin (50/1), Cape Gentleman (66/1), Noble Birth (80/1), Tronador (80/1), Plan Of Attack (80/1), Dromore Lad (100/1), Slige Dala (125/1)

Gordon Elliott comes here mob handed and his MAXXUM looks the pick at the weights on the back of his very easy Navan success. Gavin Cromwell's Listowel second Perceval Legallois is another weighted to have a big say and next on the list ahead of C&D winner Maze Runner and the returning Rodaniche. Coventry completes the shortlist.